Jack Wagner (“When Calls the Heart,” “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “General Hospital”) and Kristina Wagner (“General Hospital”) have established the Harrison Wagner Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of their late son, Harrison Wagner, who died on Monday, June 6. In addition to his parents, Wagner leaves behind an older brother, Peter, and a paternal half-sister, Kerry. He was just 27 years old.
A description shared on the New Life House Recovery Community website, an organization helping young men in recovery that will be receiving donations to the fund in Harrison’s honor, “Harrison was a bright, exuberant young man whose smile lit up any room he was in. He has left behind many men and family members who loved him deeply. We are heartbroken that he ultimately lost his battle with addiction and we hope that Harrison’s memory will live on through this scholarship and will help other young men get help for their addiction that would not otherwise be able to afford it.”
In 2016, Jack Wagner feared for Harrison’s safety after he’d gone missing for five days.” He tweeted at the time, “I fear for my youngest sons safety. Harrison has struggled w drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. He’s relapsed & is MIA 5days.” Harrison later reached out to the family according to a follow-up post.
To donate to the fund, click here.
Note: All funds donated to the Harrison Wagner Scholarship Fund will be used to directly help young men pay their rent or a portion of their rent who could not otherwise afford their care at New Life House, a long-term, age-specific recovery home that has been helping young men get sober since 1985. With a focus on community and deep internal change, New Life House helps men between the ages of 18 and 35 get a second chance.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office website notes that Wagner was pronounced dead on the scene in a parking lot at 5:14 a.m. in the 11200 block of Chandler Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley suburb of North Hollywood. Following an exam, an official cause of death has since been “deferred” pending additional investigation.
According to FOX News Digital, the coroner’s office explained, “Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies. Once the tests/studies come back, the doctor evaluates the case again and makes the cause of death determination.”
Last month, Kristina shared a photo on Instagram of herself and her two boys as they said goodbye to Wagner Ranch, a family destination for 25 years. In the caption for the post, she said, “A bittersweet farewell to the place we called Wagner Ranch for 25 years. The prickly beauty of the high desert and a landscape surrounded by national forests always reminded us that there is peace when you are willing to look for it. Oh Ranch, it’s time to part. We’ll miss you so much with our heartwarming memories. We know that there are many opportunities for joy ahead.”
On Wednesday, June 8, Peter Wagner posted several photos of him and his brother from when they were growing up together, including a photo of Harrison in his football uniform. Peter captioned the post, “Always with you.”
Jack and Kristina Wagner were wed in Lake Tahoe, Nevada in 1993, years after their on-screen pairing as Frisco Jones and Felicia Cummings (now Felicia Scorpio) “General Hospital” became a super couple. They divorced in 2006.
